Chinese explosives maker King Explorer Science and Technology will spend AUD 16 million to acquire a 51% controlling stake in Australian construction machinery maker Jacon Technologies. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals expected by end of September 2018.

Seven Group Holdings opened a new WesTrac heavy machinery facility in Casula, Western Sydney, built by AMP Capital, to support infrastructure projects.

Camfil USA is expanding its facility in Crystal Lake, Illinois, to meet growing demand for air filtration products. The expansion will add new state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and double future employee capacity.

GSH India, a subsidiary of GSH Group, renewed a three-year contract with JK Tyre to provide integrated facilities management services at JK Tyre's plant in India. The contract covers utility equipment operation and maintenance, statutory compliance, and energy audits.

China Hi-Tech Group (CHTC) signed a pre-closing agreement to acquire Oerlikon's nonwovens machinery carding business unit, including assets of Autefa Automation GmbH in Germany and shares of Oerlikon Neumag Austria GmbH. The deal is expected to close in Q3 2018.

Terex (China) signed an agreement with Changzhou National Hi-Tech District for a $100 million capital increase for the Phase III project at its Changzhou factory. The expansion focuses on manufacturing aerial work platforms and other engineering machinery components.

DMG Mori Seiki will invest ¥10 billion over three years in its main German plant to increase production capacity by 40%, and will also increase parts production at its Poland plant from October 2018.

Bharat Fritz Werner Ltd. (BFW) inaugurated a smart manufacturing facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The first phase is 35,000 sqft and will double the company's machine building capacity when fully operational.

KPS Capital Partners signed a definitive agreement to sell the attachments division of International Equipment Solutions (IES Attachments) to Stanley Black & Decker for $690 million. The division includes Paladin, Genesis and Pengo brands.

Wilo commissioned Apleona Wolfferts Gebäudetechnik to equip its new 55,000 sqm Smart Factory production building in Dortmund with refrigeration and other building systems.

Grand Rapids-based private investment firm Auxo Investment Partners has acquired Midway Rotary Die Solutions, a die manufacturer in Williamston, Michigan. Auxo plans to add six toolmakers and machinists and four programmers across Midway and its existing portfolio company Bernal Rotary Dies.

Voith agreed a deal with Copamex of Monterrey, Mexico, to install a BlueLine stock preparation system at its Anáhuac mill, converting it to containerboard production of 260,000 tpa, with startup expected in early 2019.

Bolts & Nuts Corporation, a Tecum Capital portfolio company, has completed a merger with Technical Threads of Franklin, Indiana. Technical Threads is a provider of engineered pipe, valve and fitting fasteners and gaskets.

Simpson Technologies (Deutschland) GmbH, a subsidiary of Simpson Technologies Corporation, acquired Webac Gesellschaft für Maschinenbau mbH in Euskirchen, Germany, along with its subsidiaries in Sweden and the Czech Republic. The acquisition was announced on August 14, 2018.

Bilfinger Middle East was awarded a contract by Saudi Aramco for engineering, procurement and construction of a new air-pressure system at the Berri Gas Plant in Saudi Arabia, due for completion by the end of 2019.

Ziehl-Abegg established a new factory for EC motor manufacturing in the Hohenlohe Business Park, Germany, with an initial investment of EUR 28 million. The facility includes in-house resin production and expanded production area by 7,000 m².

Shoreline Group and Mota-Engil Africa signed a joint venture agreement to form Mota-Engil Nigeria, a new construction entity focused on engineering, procurement and construction contracts in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. Shoreline holds 51% and Mota-Engil Africa 49%.

Siemens opened a new Test Observatory at its Norwood Motor Manufacturing plant near Cincinnati, Ohio, extending the testing range from 10,000 to 20,000 hp. The project began in 2016 and includes new testing equipment that recycles power to the grid.

Samson Agro A/S has held a topping-out ceremony for two new halls totaling 4,500 square meters at its headquarters in Viborg, Denmark, and started construction of a new workshop for Samson Agrolize.

Rotork received major contracts to supply electric and pneumatic valve actuators and gearboxes, including about 2,000 explosionproof units, to Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery for its Changxing Island complex in Dalian.

Versalift, a Time Manufacturing Company, announced the acquisition of O.G. Hughes & Sons, resulting in the creation of a new company-owned distributor called Versalift Southeast, serving Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama.

Hilong Holdings' subsidiary Hilong Pipeline Engineering Technology Services obtained a contract from Zhongyou Pipeline Anticorrosion Engineering to provide anti-corrosion coating, concrete weight coating and anode installation for a Bangladesh single point mooring and double pipeline project, with total consideration of at least RMB173 million.

Sunpower Group secured Manufacturing and Services contracts worth RMB135 million with Hengli Petrochemical to manufacture core equipment including a distillation column, crystallisers and heaters for a PTA project in Dalian, China.

Voith Paper North America reached a deal with Copamex to install a BlueLine stock preparation system at Copamex's Anáhuac mill in Mexico, which is being converted to make containerboard. The system is due to start up in early 2019 and will output 260,000 metric tons per year of testliner and corrugated medium.

Kanthal acquired Custom Electric Manufacturing Co., a manufacturer of heating elements in North America, headquartered in Wixom, Michigan. The transaction closed on August 1, 2018.

Topcon established a new production line for optical surveying instruments at its existing Yamagata factory in Japan, expanding capacity to meet global demand. The expansion includes multiple production process upgrades.

Anoplate completed a $5 million expansion of its anodizing facility with three new advanced production lines, now in full production, representing the largest capital expansion in its 58-year history.

Interpump Group has acquired 100% of Ricci Engineering Srl, a start-up based in Orvieto, Italy, that designs, builds and installs plants for breweries and winemakers.

Japan's Tadano Ltd and India's Escorts Ltd formed a joint venture in August 2018 to manufacture high-capacity mobile cranes in India. Tadano holds 51% and Escorts 49%, with an initial investment of INR 60 crore (approx. USD 8.5 million). Production is expected to commence at Faridabad, Haryana in Q3 2018.

Universal Dynamics (UNA-DYN), a PiovanGroup company, completed its move to a new 10,000-square-meter facility in Fredericksburg, VA, designed to double production capacity for storage, conveying, blending, drying and size reduction equipment.

Coesia agreed to acquire 60% of the ceramic business of System S.p.A., to be incorporated into a new company named System Ceramics, with Franco Stefani retaining a 40% stake and remaining Chairman.

Bouygues Construction and Colas Rail completed the acquisition of Alpiq Intec AG and Kraftanlagen München GmbH (Alpiq Engineering Services) for an enterprise value of 850 million Swiss francs. The acquired companies employ about 7,650 people and generated sales of approximately 1.7 billion Swiss francs in 2017.

Komatsu plans to move its Chinese wheel loader, dump truck and excavator production facility to a new site in Changzhou, with 15% higher capacity, starting production in 2010. It also acquired 630,000 square metres of land and will establish a Komatsu China Techno Center.

Kawasaki will spin off its wheel loader division into a new wholly owned subsidiary, and Hitachi will buy a 34% stake before the end of 2009, with an option to buy a controlling share after three years. TCM, already majority owned by Hitachi, will join in a technology-sharing alliance.

Chinese company PGTEX ordered a Schuler 3,600-ton hydraulic press for HP-RTM and wet compression moulding to produce carbon fibre reinforced plastic car body parts for a new electric SUV. Shipment is planned for early 2019.

Bombardier Transportation received a $303 million order from Île-de-France Mobilités, awarded by SNCF, to supply 36 Francilien train sets (270 cars) for the Greater Paris public transport network. The trains will be built at Bombardier's Crespin facility in France.

Digga, the largest Australian manufacturer of gearboxes and construction equipment attachments, acquired Universal Augers, a designer and builder of drilling tools. Universal Augers Australia will be merged into Digga's Brisbane facility, and the Universal brand will be retained.

Fenner Dunlop opened a new steel cord and conveyor belt manufacturing plant in Kwinana, Western Australia. The plant has an initial annual capacity of 330,000 square metres and is the largest single investment in conveyor belt manufacturing in Australia.

Indian air-compressor maker ELGi Equipments completed the 100% acquisition of Sydney-based distributor F.R. Pulford & Son (Pulford Air and Gas) for approximately A$15.05 million, entering the Australian market.

Dana Incorporated has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the Drive Systems segment of Oerlikon Group for CHF 600 million (approximately $600 million). The acquisition is expected to close in late 2018 or Q1 2019.

Green Bay Packaging Inc. has selected Voith to supply a full process line, including a 300-inch paper machine, for its new mill in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The mill is due to be operational in 2021.

Voith Paper North America won a contract from Copamex to install its BlueLine stock preparation system at the Anahuac mill in Mexico, which is being converted to containerboard and packaging production. Start-up is planned for early 2019.

EPIC Systems has partnered with key investors led by Compass Group Equity Partners to create a new corporation, EPIC Systems Group, with John Schott continuing as president.

Tenaris Group has chosen INDEVA to supply intelligent handling devices for pipe couplings, sleeves and calibers in all their plants, including the new plant in Kazakhstan.

Voith Paper North America won a contract from Copamex to install its BlueLine stock preparation system at the Anahuac mill in Mexico, which is being converted to containerboard and packaging production. Start-up is planned for early 2019.

Italian cooling group Eurochiller has acquired Essex-based IsoCool Ltd, a supplier of cooling systems for the plastics processing sector. The acquisition will see IsoCool's owner Nigel Hallett become Sales and Marketing Director, with Angus Hall as Managing Director.

SNCF Mobility awarded a €2.7 billion contract to Alstom for 100 next-generation Avelia Horizon high-speed trains. Delivery is set between 2020 and 2023.

Ag Growth International (AGI) acquired the Sabe Group Companies, a provider of processing solutions for food, pet food, animal feed, fertilizer and biomass industries, based in Chauché, France.

SNCF Mobilités has approved a firm order for 100 next-generation Avelia Horizon very high speed trains from Alstom. The order value is approximately €25 million per trainset, with an additional €190 million for options and services.

Oerlikon divested its tape and monofilament technologies, including the Barmag Spinnzwirn business unit in Chemnitz, to Austrian group Starlinger.